Amid the Winter Snow
by pandorabox82
Summary: Lwaxana wants to experience a white Christmas with the person she loves more than anything in the universe.


It had been decades since Kate had seen snow, real snow, on the ground. Her shore leave had usually been spent at Starfleet Medical, working on her research or teaching classes. Despite all the progress they had made into mechanizing medicine, there was still something to be said about the human touch and she tried to impress that upon her students, when she had them. But ever since she had fallen into a relationship with Lwaxana Troi, the woman couldn't stop talking about celebrating Christmas in a place that had real snow. Or how much Ian had loved waking up on Christmas morning to a fresh blanket of white on the ground. It was almost as if she was dropping very large hints as to what she wanted to celebrate their first Terran holiday together.

"Is everything in place?" she asked as she stepped into the shuttle bay, giving her favorite engineer as he tapped away at his console. Philip looked up and gave her a wide grin and thumbs' up as she made her way over to the shuttle that she was borrowing for the next two weeks, suddenly glad that she and Lwaxana were both not that fond of transporters. It would be slightly close quarters, but if she knew her partner, that wouldn't bother her at all.

"Yes, Doctor Pulaski. Enjoy your holiday."

She gave him a sharp nod as she stepped into the shuttle and took a seat in the pilot's chair and watched the doors open so that she could fly out into the depths of space. She would miss her ship, and her crewmates, but this holiday had been months in the making, and she couldn't wait to arrive at Betazed to pick up her lover. The quiet thrum of the engines soon lulled her into a light sleep, and it wasn't until she was closing in on Betazoid space that the computer woke her, announcing her arrival. She could feel Lwaxana reaching up to probe her mind a little, and she smiled as she thought about the time ahead of them.

Kate landed near Lwaxana's home, unsurprised to see Mister Homm coming to greet her. "Let me guess, she's still packing?" He nodded, giving her a rueful smile, and she shook her head a little. "It's not like she hasn't had months to prepare for this."

He shrugged and she patted his arm before disappearing into the house and making her way up to Lwaxana's room, hearing her rummaging around in the closet, singing lowly. And though she tried to hide her thoughts, she knew the exact moment her lover knew she was there, as she stopped singing and hurried out to greet her. "Katie!"

"Lew, I thought you were going to be ready when I got here. I told you exactly when I was going to arrive." Her lover gave her a sheepish smile before she swept over to her side and wrapped her up into a warm hug. There was something about the embrace that melted away all the irritation she had felt at finding her not ready to go.

"I was, but then I didn't know if I had the right clothes, so I unpacked everything, and I just lost track of time. Forgive me?" Kate tried to hold a stony, serious, look, but then her lip started to twitch a little before Lwaxana lifted her face and captured her lips in a lush kiss. It wasn't until she felt Lwaxana start to guide her towards the bed that Kate pulled away to look into her face, shaking her head a little. "What?"

"We don't have time for that, not if you want to get settled in the cabin and maybe take a walk in the woods. Or is that not what you want, too?"

Kate arched an eyebrow as she watched her partner, seeing the little pout that was starting to appear on her face. Finally, Lwaxana let out an indignant huff of breath before turning around and flouncing back into the closet. "If you help me, we can get out of here quicker."

"Fine," she muttered as she jogged over to the walk in closet, finding it an explosion of clothes. "You are nowhere near ready, Lew! Here, let me pick out what you should wear, and you can put it in your case. And there won't be any need for your fancy wigs while we're gone. With any luck, we won't see another soul until we're home."

"Okay."

Kate was a little surprised at how quickly Lwaxana acquiesced, and she made a mental note to ask her about that later, once they were on their way to Earth, since it would take them thirty hours to reach there in the shuttle. "And we're going to dress simply. Again, it will be just us two, so there's no need to try and impress anyone. Do you even have anything simple?"

"Darling, do you really expect someone like me to be simple?"

She chuckled as she shook her head, quickly pulling out the pieces that would suit them well for the holiday ahead, and in less than thirty minutes, they were heading out for the shuttlecraft. Kate didn't mind carrying her partner's bag, especially not when Lwaxana slipped her hand into Kate's threading their fingers together and holding on tightly as they went along.

It wasn't until they were leaving the atmosphere of Betazed that Kate relaxed, setting a course for Earth before turning around and looking at Lwaxana. "So, why didn't you try and argue with me when I took over packing?"

"Because I love you, and knew that you could get done what was holding me back." Lwaxana got out of her chair and came up to Kate, taking a seat in her lap. "I cannot wait to experience snow with you. I know, I had that with Ian, but I want it with you, too." Lwaxana caressed her face softly before leaning in to give her a gentle kiss. "And since the shuttle is on autopilot, you can come back and take a nap with me. It has been far too long since you've held me in your arms."

Kate watched Lwaxana's lower lip tremble a little, and realized that there was something that she wasn't telling her, that she didn't want to tell her at the moment, so she nodded before kissing her once more. "All right, let's go sleep together in the small bed. As long as you take your wig off before we settle in. Because I have missed feeling your hair beneath my fingers."

Lwaxana nodded as she stood, holding out her hand. Kate clasped it and allowed her lover to tug her into the back of the shuttle. Once they were next to the truly tiny bunk, Lwaxana lifted off the relatively simple wig that she had worn for the journey, and set it on top of their bags before crawling into the space. Kate couldn't stop the small smirk that graced her lips as she stared at her ass. "There is no way that we can do _that_ in this tin can. So as soon as you get the fire going in our cabin, then you can lay me down in front of it and have your sweet way with me."

"You, my dear, have to quit reading those tawdry novels that we found when we were cleaning out my mother's house. They were relics even in her day!"

"But it's so interesting to see what human women found sexy back then. And there is something romantic about being swept off your feet and worshipped. And maybe even getting snowed in at a remote cabin in the woods, where the only thing that could even bother us would be running out of food. Unless our cabin has a replicator?"

"Of course it does, Lew. I figured that would be our one requirement, since I don't want to see anyone else while we're there. It has been too long since we've had time to spend together." Kate contorted her body so that she was curled around Lwaxana, slinging an arm around her waist and tugging her closer to her body. "I cannot be tired."

"Yes, you can, and we can sleep for a little while and then wake up closer to Earth." Lwaxana took hold of her hand and drew it up to her breasts, encouraging Kate to touch her. "I love you, Katherine Pulaski," she breathed out as she rubbed her head against Kate's shoulder, a wide yawn splitting her lips. Kate nodded a little as she yawned in response, her eyes closing heavily as she allowed sleep to overtake her.

The next thing she knew, Kate was being woken up by warm kisses being pressed to her face. Slowly, she blinked her eyes open to look into Lwaxana's dark gaze, a smile spreading across her lips as she let out a pleased groan. "We're almost there. Somehow, we managed to sleep away nineteen hours, which tells me that we needed the rest. Part of me wants to get up and get something to eat from the replicator, but a larger part of me wants to stay right here."

"The doctor in me is saying that we need to get up and move around, before we get cramps in our legs. And we should eat and use the facilities." Arching up a little, she captured Lwaxana's lips in a fierce kiss before slipping out from under her and getting to her feet. After stretching and cracking her back, Kate turned back to look at her lover, seeing that she was watching her, a sad smile on her lips. "And you need to tell me what is wrong, Lew. Please."

"No, this is supposed to be our happy time, I'm not going to say anything before Christmas, since I know that that's supposed to be filled with joy."

Kate sighed as she went over to the replicator and asked for their favorite meals, bringing them over to the bunk and taking a seat next to Lwaxana before digging into the food. "It's going to be hanging over my head the entire time, and I won't be joyful if that's true. It's better to get it out in the open now. Please?"

There was a soft sigh that slipped from Lwaxana's lips as she scooted closer to her, picking at her food with her fork as a tense silence filled the room. "I don't want to keep living like this. But I don't want to pull you away from your work. Because I know how important your research is to you, and how much you're enjoying having your own research vessel. I feel like I'm being selfish by telling you that I miss you so much."

That was the last thing that Kate had expected to hear, and so it took her a few beats to try and find an answer for her. "I miss you, too. But I never wanted to pull you away from your work, because you are such a good ambassador. You keep Elim Garak in line, and if that's not a small miracle, I don't know what is. So, we're going to have to compromise, aren't we?"

"Yes. But I can't find a good compromise, Katie."

She turned and looked at her lover, trying not to think about what she had planned for Christmas Day. "Do me a very large favor and try not to read my thoughts until after Christmas. Okay?"

"I'll try. I can't make any promises, though."

Kate knocked their shoulders together, listening to the watery laugh that her lover let out. "I know that you'll try, Lew. Now, eat, and then we can see about listening to that new Betazoid opera you were telling me about in our last talk." Lwaxana turned to look at her, giving her a wicked grin as she nodded. Kate shook her head a little as she finished up her food, placing the plate in the recycle slot before sitting back down on the bunk and watching Lwaxana. There was something so lovely about her, and she leaned in to steal a few more kisses before they turned on the opera. She knew that it would be a long one, since Lwaxana had mentioned that even with intermissions, it had ran nearly seven hours when she had seen it's premiere.

It became clear why Lwaxana had given her that wicked look, since the vid they were watching made it quite clear that it wasn't some stuffy, staid, show. "And now we're only three hours away from Earth," Lwaxana purred as she leaned in and ran her tongue along the shell of her ear. "I really do think that there is space for us to make this shuttle ours. And we have the time to make love and still look decent for when we land."

"You really do want to drive me mad, don't you?" Kate teased as she allowed Lwaxana to start unbuttoning her blouse, slipping it from her shoulders as she pulled her back onto the bunk.

"No, I just want to explore your body and become reacquainted with the curves and planes that I've missed so much in the months we've been apart." Her hand cupped one of Kate's breasts, and she tried to swallow a gasp as her thumb swiped against her nipple, sending a shiver of desire straight down to her sex. "The way you react to that tells me everything I need to know," Lwaxana whispered before nipping her earlobe. Kate tried to nod as her lover's hand skated down her torso to slip beneath the waistband of her trousers and panties, only to find her body bowing upwards to meet the touches, encouraging Lwaxana to explore her body more thoroughly.

Another low gasp stole from her lips as Lwaxana tugged her trousers down her legs before divesting her of her panties. "Lew!" she groaned as her lover fitted herself between her legs and then lowered her face to her breasts, pressing sweet kisses around her nipples until she was panting for breath and begging her lover to feast on her. A wicked grin slipped across Lwaxana's face as she sat up a little and rested her chin on her hand, staring at her. "Why did you stop?"

"Because I'm not allowed to read your thoughts, so I don't know if what I'm doing is bringing you pleasure," she replied, the grin never moving from her lips.

"I think you damn well know that you're bringing me pleasure. Please, make love to me!" she whined as Lwaxana brought her lips back down to her body, kissing down her torso and letting her tongue dance along her skin, darting around her navel as Kate lifted herself up to meet her, wanting to feel her even closer. And then, Lwaxana was carefully inserting two fingers inside her, curling them just the way that Kate liked, even as her thumb brushed against her clitoris, teasing that bundle of nerves in order to get Kate's blood racing. And since it had been so long since they had made love, she found that her orgasm was too quick in coming, though Lwaxana laughed sweetly before kissing her in an effort to swallow her cries of pleasure, her fingers continuing to tease and excite Kate, building her up to another heady orgasm.

"Let's make it three, darling," Lwaxana whispered in her ear before kissing her way down Kate's body, loving on her breasts before continuing down to her vulva, softly parting her labia so that she could stroke her clitoris with her tongue, the fluttering motions causing Kate to cry out with abandon as she dug her hands into the thin sheets of the bunk, her hips twisting and arching against Lwaxana's talented mouth. This time, though, each time she neared the pinnacle of pleasure, her lover would draw back, trying to drive her to even higher heights of pleasure. And since she was a master at that particular game, Kate knew that it might be an hour before she came again. Then, just when she felt like she was close to breaking, Kate felt Lwaxana steal into her mind, sending images of what she looked like in the throes of her pleasure, and she came with a loud, long, cry.

The next thing she knew, she was looking up into Lwaxana's face, her chest heaving with the force of her breaths. "I thought you weren't going to read my mind until after Christmas?" she panted out, watching as her lover shrugged before slipping out of her dress and then curling her body into Kate's.

"I didn't read anything there, I just sent you some pictures of what I see when I'm making love to you. I still have no clue what to expect on Christmas. But I'm hoping that part of your plans include us staying in bed for hours on end, cuddling like this."

"I do like that thought of that," she replied gruffly as she wrapped her arms around Lwaxana's waist, tugging her closer as she let her chin come to rest atop her head. "Ah, hell, Lew. I'm not going to be able to keep this secret, and I'll do it properly when we've reached the cabin are standing in a fresh layer of winter snow, but…the solution that I was thinking of was for us to get married. I can create a research lab in your home, and when you go to Federation Headquarters to do your ambassador duties, I can work there. I've had my time of exploring, and it's time to settle down with you. Even if you do tease me so terribly."

"I tease you because it gives you better orgasms. And more pleasure is always a good thing, yes?" She nodded, and Lwaxana grinned before leaning in and kissing her gently. "And I want you to know that when you properly ask me, I will properly say yes. Before improperly making love to you as a reward for making me so happy. And since I know what's coming, I won't read your mind to try and find out what my ring will look like." Kate let out a hearty laugh as she snuggled into her lover and allowed her eyes to flutter closed as she listened to Lwaxana breathe and sigh. "And if we're feeling daring enough, we can drag a blanket outside and make love beneath the stars." Kate shook her head a little as she turned her head and kissed Lwaxana soundly.

"You might change your mind when we get there, you know."

"I might, but I hope that it's a possibility." Lwaxana gave her a cheeky wink before kissing her nose. "Turn over and we can watch a movie or something until we arrive, since we shouldn't fall asleep so close to arrival." Kate nodded and did as told, loving the way her partner hooked her chin over her shoulder as she turned on the display and allowed Lwaxana to choose something for them to watch, knowing that soon they would be on Earth, and making plans for their future together.


End file.
